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The Toronto Raptors are back home tonight as they play host to the Houston Rockets in a cross-conference matchup. The Rockets are one of the better offensive teams in the NBA and the Raptors have been struggling with their defense lately. With only eight games remaining, the Raptors need to get back on track as they try to make a run in the playoffs.

The Raptors are coming off a 93-83 loss to the Miami Heat on Monday after winning three straight. The Rockets have lost two in a row after winning five straight. They fell to the Brooklyn Nets last night. This is the second and final meeting between the teams. The Rockets defeated the Raptors 110-104 in Houston on November 11.

Here are some notes for tonight's game:

Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (knee) will be a game-time decision tonight. Lowry injured his knee on Monday on a knee-on-knee collision with Heat forward LeBron James.

Rockets center Dwight Howard (ankle) is questionable for tonight's game. He sat out last night's game against the Nets, but could be good to go tonight. Howard had 18 points and 24 rebounds in the first meeting against the Raptors.

In 2013, we saw Anthony Bennett get drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers, marking the highest a Canadian has ever been drafted in NBA history. We also saw his countryman Kelly Olynyk get drafted 13th overall, making it two Canadians chosen in the NBA lottery. With all the exceptional talent from Canada expected to enter this year's draft, could we be in for a repeat of last year?

Canada basketball is certainly on the uprise. Over the last two years, some of the top talent in college basketball have been Canadian. In 2013-2014, it was Andrew Wiggins, Tyler Ennis, Nik Stauskas, and Melvin Ejim running the show south of the border and representing Canada to the fullest. Wiggins and Ennis have already declared for the NBA Draft, while we still wait on decisions from Stauskas and Ejim.

Wiggins, 19, is a 6'8, 200 pound small forward from Thornhill, Ontario. He spent the 2013-2014 season at the University of Kansas, but was already known world-wide before he even put on his Jayhawks jersey. Wiggins was dubbed as the next big thing and was featured on the cover of several magazines including Sports Illustrated. He was hyped so much at a young age that some compared him to LeBron James.

The Toronto Raptors took on the Miami Heat in South Beach Monday night on what was a potential second round playoff matchup. The Heat were without Dwyane Wade and Ray Allen, but it didn't matter because they have the best player in the world in LeBron James. LeBron was just too much for the Raptors on Monday as he controlled the game on both ends of the floor.

Trailing by 11 in the fourth quarter, the Raptors would pull it to within three with six minutes left. However, the Heat would respond right back and once again push their lead back to double digits. From there on the Heat would hold on for the 93-83 win.

The Raptors fall to 42-32 with the loss and see their three game winning streak come to an end. The Heat move to 51-22 with the win and have now won three in a row. The Heat sweep the season series over the Raptors.

The Toronto Raptors take their talents to South Beach tonight as they take on LeBron James and the Miami Heat. With this being a possible second round matchup in the playoffs, the Raptors will want to bring their best tonight in hopes of beating Miami and increasing their confidence moving forward. The Raptors have won three in a row and four of their last five. The Heat have won two in a row and three of their last four. This is the fourth and final meeting between the teams with the Heat winning each of the first three.

Here are some notes for tonight's game:

Heat forward LeBron James is averaging 30.7 points per game against the Raptors this season.

Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas is averaging 16.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in his last three.

The Toronto Raptors are in the playoffs! Last night the Raptors defeated the Boston Celtics 105-103 and clinched their first playoff berth since the 2007-2008 season. It was an exciting night for the team and their fan base as now they can fully set their eyes on securing the best seed possible in the Eastern Conference. Let's talk a little about the game.

The Celtics got off to a quick seven point lead, but the Raptors clawed right back and took the lead to end the quarter. Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross combined to score 19 points in the opening quarter for the Raptors. The second quarter belonged to the Celtics as they outscored the Raptors by three to trim their deficit to three by half time.